Dry pipe valve and accelerator for sprinkler systems



July 14, 19 6- v E. WALLACE ET AL v 2,047,719"

DRY PIPE VALVE AND ACCELERATOR FOR SPRINKLER SYSTEMS Filed Oct. 10, 19302 Sheets-Sheet l a 1. B l-w III/III l JOHNEUGENE WALLACE- CHARLES DUMASINVENTORS.

v ATTORNEY.

y 1936- J. E. WALLACE ET AL 7,7

DRY PIPE VALVE AND ACCELERATOR FOR SPRINKLER SYSTEMS Filed Oct. 10, 19502 Sheets-Sheet 2 T fl/arrr) 1 fa air I sup fan/r I i x v llll JOHNEUGENE WALLACE CHARLES DUMAS 1 INVENTORS.

ATTORNEY.

Patented July 14, 1936 DRY PIPE VALVE AND ACGELERATOR FOR SPRINKLERSYSTEMS John, Eugene Wallace,. Foxbnrm. and. Charles.

l a Worcester, Mass, assignors by mesne assrgmnents, to Francis V;McCarthm, Eynn,

Mass;

Application October 19.30,:Scrial' No. 487,810.

1':- Claims. .(cli ice -2r) Our invention pertains to; a sprinkler.system used for. the protection of buildings from fire andv has for anobject to provide means; whereby any reduction of pressure in thesprinkler system causes a differential action. to; open. the, sprinklersystem to free flow of water from thesource of Water supply.

Another object is totprovidequicker; opening: of the: flood valve of thesystem to the opening of a sprinkler haird-v than has beenheretoliemobtained.

Another object is to provide: maintenance of closure of the flood valveby means of lower pressure than. heretofore.

Another object isto provide. a. lower degree of pressurein the sprinklersystem when in static action than heretofore. and practically instan--taneous creation of a differential and resulting Opening of the, flood.valve to service pressure upon the opening: of a. sprinkler. head.

Another object is. to provide a, means of 'quick operation of the flood.valve. in. the event! that the pressure. in the sprinkler system, fallsbelow the pressure normally required to maintain the flood valve inclosed position.

Other objects are toprovide a combination of flood valves which may-- bechanged readily for low or high pressure; to; provide a combination offlood valves in whichthe ratios are stabilized by a toggle system; toprovide a combination of flood valves control-led by a toggle systemwhereby differences inthe size of the. valvesand valve openings is madeunnecessary; andto pro vide a system whereby acceleration of actioniscreated in the operation of. the sprinkler system.

Another object is to provide means: forgiving an alarm immediately uponoperation of thesystem.

Another object isr to provide a; convertible sprinkler alarm systemwhich may be. interchangeably as a dry or wet system;

Another object is to provide a sprinkler system with an air differentialaffiordi-ng adequate pro-' tection of the sprinkler system from:freezing in. cold weather. 1

Our device. may be used either-as all-dry pipe system or wet pipesystem. and, maybe. changed; from one to the other inthe mannerhereinaiter described. This interchangeable: feature is on particulardesirability in latitudes. Where freezing temperatures prevail. during;a part of the year, for the reason that during such part of i the yearfreezing of the sprinkler. system is prebuildings not adequatelyprotected byartificial heat, and; also in. water curtain pipes on the.outside of buildings.

In. the drawings that accompany and are made; a; part of this;application for a. patent, Figure 11 is 32,. detailshowing; a. valve insection, at rightv angles to section shown in Figure 2; Figure 2. is: a,view partly in section; Figure-3 is a diagrammatic representation of thetoggle of forces in: opposition at 9e: of the. diagram. Figure 4. is: adetail showing; construction of valve 35;;- Figure: 5 is e," detail:(full size): of port, l'tand surrounding construction; Figure 6'. is adetail (full size).- otconnection between valve 6. and; arm 61;...

Reierring; t0 the. drawings;v |-l is the riser leading-fromthewater-main (not shown) to the sprinkler system; to isthe inlet chamberof the casing; into. which. water first enters from the. service main;la is a drainage outlet in the inlet chamber" l.c;threaded. torconnecting. by the. use 20,, of. a. pipe nipple anystandard shut-offvvalve of gate or globe construction, as; is understood and required:those skilled in the art; lb is a-portleading from: the-inlet: chamberlc through the casine'to the seat. of. hand hole cover. 401; 25, 2; isthe valve casing; 3 is. the pressure chamber; 3a; is; a. port, in thepressure chamber; 311- is the hand hole and 3-cthe. hand. hole cover topressure chamber 3 31% is a priming and drip outlet; l= is the;intermediate chamber; 411.- is a port in the intermediate chamber; 4a a.drip. from the intermediate: chamber 4);; 4c the hand hole. and 4d. thehand: hole: cover of intermediate chamher 4;; 5', is the watervalve.seat; 6 is. a clapper valve for; co-operating. with water seat fi, said35 valve being inclusive of; a. lever arm 6w pivoted on; clapperarm pin61) whereby the valve is mounted for swinging movement to; open andclosed position; 60 and 611 an adjusting bolt and lock nut. by whichclapper 6. and lever arm 611 are flexibly held. together; 1 ist-he waterclapper latch mounted on. water: clapper latch. pin. la; ii is: the airvalve seat; 9 the air clapper valve inclusive of an arm 9a mounted onair clapper. armpi-n .91); 9c. is a downwardly projecting toggle; armunder clapper valve 9; 9d is a toggle post on arm 9e mounted'thercon bythe toggle post. pin 9e and adapted ta swing. into a recess, 9.1- in thearmflewhenthe; valve 9 is. opened; 9f; is an apron of rubber or othersuitable. material afiixedto the clapper to insure tight closure ofthea-ir valve against; its seat; 9h. is. a. bolt threaded intoypart 9eholding thereto parts. 9; 9c, 9d, and 9;! rigidly together in. acomplete assembly as,

one. piece; in isthe air clapper; latch; mounhei on latch pin Ifla; IIis the alarm port, used when the system is wet, leading to approved wetsystem mechanical alarm devices, not shown; I2 is a pipe connectingports 3a and 4a; I3 is a globe valve in pipe l2; I4 is the valve stem ofvalve I3; 14a is a bearing on valve stem I4; I5 is a lever in bearingl4a mounted on lever pin l5a; [5b is a recess in lever I5; I50 is aWeight on lever I5; |5d is a stop for lever l5; I6 is the airdifierential action casing; [6a is the diaphragm; l 6b is a rod aflixedto diaphragm l6a and movably supported in walls of the casing at I60,the diaphragm l6a is sustained as shown in the drawings by a metalbellows of the usual type; Fla is a port leading from retention chamberl'l; Illa is a port leading from chamber pressure [6; I9 is a bearing;20 is a latch movably mounted in bearing l9 by means of latch pin 20a;2| is a yoke pin in yoke Zla aifixing latch 26 to rod I61); 22 is abearing arm affixed to valve casing 2; 23 is a bearing mounted onbearing arm 22 and having a flexible member 23a; 24 is a toggle levermounted on flexible member 23a by lever pin 24a; 25 is threaded bolt foradjusting pressure on toggle lever 24; 26 is port l8a on sprinkler sideof the check valve 28;

30is a three way valve with ports 30a therein; 3| is a pipe leading frompriming and drip outlet 3d tovalve 30; 32 is a drip pipe leading frompipe 26 to valve 30; 33 is a drip pipe leading from valve 30 to openair; 34 is a pipe leading from pipe l2 as at 34a through which pressurewill reach alarm devices and the automatic shutoff valve 35; 34b is apipe leading from pipe 34 to hydraulically operated alarm gongs of anyapproved pattern which may be located some distance away, if the systemis being operated as a wet system this pipe is closed by a shut-offvalve of any approved pattern located therein; 35 is an automaticallyoperated shut-off valve in pipe 21 closing pipe 21 to the passage ofpressure should pressure exist in pipe 34; 36 is a pipe leading frompipe 34 to diaphragm chamber in valve 35 so that service pressure inpipe 36 from pipe 34 will cause closing of the valve 35 against pressurepassing through pipe 21 to the difierential bellows in casing H5.

The inter-relation of the parts shown in Figure 1 areas follows: thewater pressure in the inlet chamber lc under the clapper valve 6transmits itself through the bolt 6d to the lever arm 6a which bolt isthreaded into the lever arm and held at adjustment by the locking nut60, the lever arm being held fixed at one end by the pin 61) a reducedpressure is transmitted to the toggle post 9d and through the togglepost to the pin 9e afiixed in the toggle arm 90; the toggle arm 90, airclapper valve 9' and the air clapper arm 9a being rigidly assembledtogether as' one piece by the bolt 9h, any pressure transmitted by thepost to the pin 9e will, in efiect, transmit itself to the clapper arm911 at a point on a straight line projected through the point F on thecenter line of the toggle post and the point at the center of the pin 9eto the clapper arm 9a; the distance from the center of the pin 91) tothis projected line, multiplied by the force transmitted by the togglepost constitutes the equivalent turning moment that will act to swingthe air valve assembly around the pivot 9b and thus clear the valve seat8, which turning moment is resisted by the air pressure in chamber 3acting on the air clapper 9, this latter force multiplied by thedistance from the center of the clapper 9 to the pivotal point 92) makesthe moment of resistance against the upward thrust from the toggle post9d, if sufficient pressure does not exist in chamber 3 to make theresisting moment equal to or greater than the overturning moment set upby the thrust from the post 9d movement will take place, the waterpushing the lever arm 6a to rotate around the pin 61), the toggle post951 tilting on the lever arm at F and rotating on the pin 9e as the airassembly, carried by the air clapper arm 9a, rotates around the pivot9b, clearing valve seat 8; if, however, sufiicient pressure exists tomake the resisting moment fully equal to or greater than the overturningmoment all parts remain stationary. There should be some excess ofresisting moment so that the water clapper valve 6 will be heldsufiiciently tight to prevent leaking.

Adjustment to the purpose that pressure from the pressure chamber 3shall act to firmly hold clapper valve 6 to valve seat 5 is accomplishedthrough bolt 6d threaded into lever arm 6a and loosely attached toclapper valve 6, said bolt having a hexagon shank and button head thelatter fitting into a recess in the water clapper 6 and being heldtherein by the ring Be, the ring being firmly attached to the clapperand clearances F between the button head of the bolt and the ring 6eenables the water clapper 6 to adjust itself to its seat with varyingadjustments of the lever arm 6a; so, adjustment to apply pressure fromchamber 3 to the water clapper valve 6 is effected by loosening checknut 60, applying a wrench to the hexagonal shank and turning bolt 6ddownward against the clapper and thusly raising lever arm 6a which inturn will raise toggle post 9d and the latter thrusting against the pin9e will raise the air valve assembly until it tightens against the pin91; to rotate therearound until all metal contacts are cleared and onlythe flexible rubber apron 9f of the air valve assembly remains incontact with valve seat 8, which rubber apron hanging at a downwardangle will seal the opening between the pressure chamber 3 and theintermediate chamber 4 when the lip of the air clapper 9 is considerablyabove the level of valve seat 8.

,Latches l and I0 serve to prevent closing of the flood valves if a lowservice pressure fails to throw them wide open in the event ofoperation, otherwise the system could not be drained by opening theshut-off valve at drainage outlet la.

To prepare the sprinkler system for operation asfa dry pipe system thewater is shut oil in the water main in the usual manner and the water inthe system is drawn oil? by opening the shutoff valve at drainage outletI a; hand hole covers having been removed the valve seats 5 and 8 andclapper valves 6 and 9 are cleaned through the hand holes 319 and 40,after which the clapper valves are swung on their seats and latches land In and the toggle post 9d are positioned properly, as shown inFigure l; globe valve I3 is then closed and lever l5, latch 20 andtoggle lever 24 positioned properly as shown in Figure 2; priming wateris then put in chamber 3 to the level of port 3d, hand hole cover 30 isthen put in place as shown in Figure 2 and vents in the chamber closed,air from some source of pressure supply is then admitted to apredetermined pressure into the riser above valve casing 2 filling thesprinkler system, the pressure chamber 3 and V 2, 042 ,2191therdifierentiallsystem,entering.thelatter through" pipes 21;. 29.,1and-i 2dcheck: valve- 28 m: pipe. 21 being: "open: to. the. passage" ofair. to pipe 2.6 but closed to such passage in the opposite. dimetion;pressures im chamber 33 now holds. clapper valve 61 tightly closedready' to prevent the passage of water under pressure from. the inletchamben l and: service main and, in: the event ofrtheishut-r-offat'outletr' lit having been properlyclosedirexcept'for' the existenceofiport lh-from:

the" ini'ettchambert In; such: pressure could: be admitted into theinlet chamber ready for operas tion, l in which 'eventithe: sprinklersystem, in. case of; operation;. would: .beineffective due: to. the;great venting: of: pressure through hand. hole. 40:

in: the: inter-mediate chamber. 4;, hence: port 1b" serves" as" asafeguard. to warn: workmen; should theyrforget, that. handhole cover-4d is not. in placetowproperly"closei'the hand hole 40 and incidentallythe port 1b.;

The pressure? in the" system, through-pressure chamber 3;;excludespressure water fromthe in' termediate; chamber: by means ofthemechanical adjustment of the toggle' (Figure 1) as .previ-,

I ously described :andzthei ratiosindicatedin Figure3-show'thatlowpressurerin chamber 3 will main-.

tain: closure offthe; valve 6: a-gainstservice-pres sure: and thatslight-alteration: in the :toggle will greatly; change the: pressurerequiredv in pressure chamber 3;, s i

operationofa thedifferential system is asfollows: inrther event thatone'or moresprinkler heads open. because of. fire or any otherreasonthe? pressure in the sprinkler system imme-- diatelyreducesandscommunicatessuch reduction tor the-riser and reachesthepressure chamber l8 throughwpipes: 21; and 291 and port [8a, thecheck valve 2l8z-ini pipe Z-l holdsvthe air pressure-in pipe 2t.- with:the result that no reduction takes placein" the: retention chamber L1and a differential pressure: is created: on" thetwo :sides ofdiaphragmltu inia manner thatw-ill-beunderstood readily by thoseskilledrin: the art, whereupon the diaphragm l fia'is forcedi'towardsand into pressure chamber l8 and the accumulated-pressure in the j. ofthe. diaphragm. taking place with small reduction! of pressure in thesprinkler systeml pulls rod Nib-with it and. releases latch from: leverI5 the consequent pressure of. weight 150. in: combination with thetoggle lever,

2. 1" causes; lever l-5-toi swing outwards and downward-t0 a contact.with-stop= [5d, acceleratingthe action onvalve-stemJd thusincreasing thespeed of opening; valve I3 Upon-the opening of valve ltwtheprimingcwater and air inpressure cham-- her 3% passthroughi pipe I 2 intointermediate chamber. 4 to equalize the pressure in the twochamberswhichrin effect removes the force hold ing; valve (i closed: with aresulting opening of valvesfi and to 'thepassageof pressure water tothesprinkler system and topipe 34 and mechanicalialarmsattachedvthereto.Pressure water entering pipe 36. from pipe 34 closes automaticshut off.valve; 35- to passage of pressurewater: froms riser to pipe 21, thuslypreventing injurytothe differentialabell'ows; Any reduction of pres--sure-rooming from; slow 'seepage or. the openingof a sprinkler headwill: eventually reduce pressure in chamber 31 permittingvalves Band-'9to open as hereinbefore described and admit pressure water regardlessoftthe operation on inoperat-ionsure per square inch in the servicemain.

of the ain differential. device: hereinbefore: fleescribedl.

In: changing: a; system in accordance. with our invention fromla;dry'system-toarwetsystem this may: readily be effected as'follows: Thelatch. l0; 5 is blocked' up sothat it: will not interfere with: theclosing of the air'clapper 9. The water clapper valve 6 is thrown: backinto the casing wide cpenrwhere it will'remai'n. Any of. the usualtypes. of wet. alarm devices may be connected with the 10' port- H.whichleadsfrom the valve seat 8 out through the casing. This-port H isclosed bytheclapper valve 9'- when that valve-is seated by gravity; The,pipe. 34b'leading to the dry valve alarmis closed cfi. The system maythen be 15..

itself-into componentsproducing pressure against 20..-

9b" and& torque: around 91) which in its turning moment can berepresentedby, arforcealongthe; line c--C of force times the distance9b-c. The actuating power to move the valves comes'from the servicepressure in the lowest chamber l-c: of Figure 1, which pressure will berepresented by S, therefore, the force along the line. cis; S times thevalve area and. the component thrust along M--n is the force; timesdistance Sh -C. divided by 6b'M. Letting'RIrepresent" the ratio ofpressure difference at. which valves of this character operate, thepressure in the top cham her 3 of Figure- 1' becomes S/R and the forcealong c--C becomes S/R times the valve area and the turning moment is asjust above de scribed;

The fullline diagram in Figure 3- shows the moment of force in balancefrom the air pressure in chamber 3 at HR. of the pressure in the servicemain, R-beinglthe ratio-ofpressure difference be tween water inthe'serviceemainand air in the sprinkler system". Thepressure in theservice: main exerts a lift to raise the water clapper 6, shown inFigure 1, whichlift canbeexpressedas P=A.S where P'represents thelifting force and. A represents the area in square inches of thewaterclapper valve and S represents the pres-- The force exerted through lieof the toggle, along the line M-m in the diagram of Figure 3, equals Ptimes 6lJ--C divided by 6bl\/f of thediagram. P1=A1.S/R is the forcedownward from pressure in chamber 3 holding the air clapper closedagainst its seat, A1 representing the area of the air clapper and P1representing force as aforesaid; therefore, Pl times 912-0 divided bylb-m equals the forcealongthe line M-m and opposed to the force set upby P on the same line. Pressure in the pressure chamber 3 at S/R makesthe two forces equal (and opposed) when the-dis-eo tances Bb-M. andSir-moo-ordinate in accord ance with the diagram of Figure 3tomake A.Stimes. 6bC divided by Gb-M equal to Al-S/R times 9b--c divided by 9bm. Agreater pressure than S/R should be maintained to insure no leakageat.the water clapper valve 6. In case of the air pressure in; the pressurechamber 3-fa1ling. below S/R movementwill take place. the pivotal point9e traveling along the arc to eand similarly F traveling along the. 70are around 6b to- J: and: relatively the movement will'ccntinue until Fslips on the lever arm 6a: and swings up through. the valve portcarriedby the toggle arm 90 to. come to rest in the recess9rofthesaidarm, The ratio of balancing pressures heretofore in common usehas been 6 to 1 because of the great size of the air clappers requiredto make the ratio greater and thus reduce the pressure of air requiredto keep the system closed. Such increase of air pressure offers twoevils: slowing up the delivery of water to quench fire and aggravatingthe fire with the greater volume of air blown upon it. The dotted linesin the diagram at Figure 3 show the angles of a toggle that balance at agreater air pressure, I /R1 of that in the service main. It will benoted that the dotted line swing on the focal point F and passes throughthe point T on the are it around point 91). To change the operation ofthe valve and obtain other ratios it is required to substitute for parts90 and 9d other parts in which the point 9e coincides with a properpoint T in the diagram, whereupon the moments of force become A.S times6b-C divided by 6bN equal A1.S/R1 times 9b-c divided by 9bn. Otherratios can be obtained by changing in a similar manner the angle throughthe focal point F.

We claim:

1. A valve for use in a sprinkler system comprising a casing having aninlet for connecting with a source of water supply under pressure and anoutlet for connecting with water distributing pipes, partition meansdividing said easing into separate chambers located between said inletand said outlet, said partition means having a port, an inletcontrolling valve pivoted to one side of the inlet for inward swingingmovement to an open position, a port controlling valve pivoted outsideof the projected area of the port for swinging movement to an openposition in the direction of the outlet, and means whereby pressureexerted on the port controlling valve maintains the inlet controllingvalve against a higher pressure, said means comprising an arm rigid withthe port controlling valve and extending through the port, and a strutpivoted at one end to said arm outside the projected area of the portand to the same side of the port as the pivot of the port controllingvalve, said strut at its other end engaging the inlet controlling valveat a point to the opposite side of the axis of the inlet from the pivotof the inlet controlling valve, when both valves are closed.

2. A valve for use in sprinkler systems comprising a casing having aninlet for connecting with a source of water supply under pressure and anoutlet for connecting with water distributing pipes, partition means fordividing said casing into separate chambers located between said inletand said outlet, said partition means having a port, an inletcontrolling valve pivoted to one side of the inlet for inward swingingmovement to an open position, a port controlling valve pivoted outsidethe projected area of the port for swinging movement to an open positionin the direction of the outlet, the said pivoting being at pointsoppositely located from the axis of the valves, and means wherebypressure exerted on the port controlling valve maintains the inletcontrolling valve closed against a higher pressure, said meanscomprising an arm rigid with the port controlling valve and extendingthrough the port, and a strut pivoted at one end to said arm and at itsother end engaging the inlet valve at a point to the opposite side ofthe axis of the inlet valve from the pivot of the inlet controllingvalve, the pivot between said arm and said strut being located intoggling reference to a straight line passing through the point ofengagement of the strut with the inlet controlling valve and thepivot ofthe port controlling valve when both valves are closed.

3. A valve as set forth in claim 1 in which the inlet and the port andtheir controlling valves are axially alined.

4. A valve as set forth in claim 2 in which the inlet and the port andtheir controlling valves are axially alined.

5. A valve as set forth in claim 1 in which the inlet and the port andtheir controlling valvesare axially alined and in which the valves arepivoted to opposite sides of their common axis, respectively.

6. A valve as set forth in claim 1 in which the arm and the strut areprovided with cooperating formations to limit pivotal movement of thestrut relative to the arm under the influence of opening swingingmovement of the inlet controlling valve.

7. A valve for use in sprinkler systems comprising a casing having aninlet for connecting to a source of water supply under pressure and anoutlet for connecting with water distributing pipes, partition meansdividing said casing into separate chambers located between said inletand said outlet, said partition means having a port, an inletcontrolling valve pivoted to one side of the inlet for inward swingingmovement to an open position, a port controlling valve pivoted to oneside of the port for swinging movement to an open position in thedirection of the outlet, the said pivoting being at points oppositelylocated from valve affects opening of the port controlling valve,

said means comprising an arm rigid with the port controlling valve andextending towards the inlet controlling valve, a strut pivoted at oneend to said arm, and a seat on the inlet controlling valve accommodatingthe other end of said strut, the pivot between said strut and said armbeing disposed outwardly of a straight line passing through the adjacentside of the port and the point of seating of the strut on the inletvalve when both valves are closed.

8. A valve for use in sprinkler systems comprising a casing having aninlet for connecting with a source of water supply under pressure and anoutlet for connecting with water distributing pipes, partition meansdividing said casing into separate chambers located between said outletand said inlet, said partition means having a port, an inlet controllingvalve pivoted to one side of the inlet for inward swinging movement toan open position, a port controlling valve pivoted for swinging movementto an open position in the direction of the outlet, the said pivotingbeing at points oppositely located from the axis of the valves, andmeans whereby pressure exerted on the port controlling valve maintainsthe inlet controlling valve closed against a higher pressure, said meanscomprising an arm rigid with the port controlling valve and extendingthrough the port, a strut pivoted at one end to said arm on the side ofthe axis of the port adjacent to the pivot of the port controllingvalve, said strut when the valves are closed engaging at its other endthe inlet controlling valve at a point to the opposite side of the axisof the inlet from the pivot of the inlet control valve, said inletcontrol valve including a rigid lever arm and an adjusting screwflexibly connecting said lever arm and inlet valve whereby the portcontrolling valve and said arm rigid thereto extending through the porttransmits a pressure through the said strut to the lever :arm to :holdthe valve closed;saidenressure being transmitted by the adjustment ofthezsaidscrew connecting the lever arm "andinletvalve, :aslafore-LEG/id...

.9. .A valve for use insprinklersystems :compris- :ing a casing havingan inlet for connecting with .a source of water supplyunderpressure;iand: an

outlet for connecting with water distributing pipes, partition means fordividing said' casin into separate chambers located between saidi inletand outlet, :said partition rmeanszhavingia :port

approximately .alined with said inlet, inlet and between said valveswhereby pressure exerted 1.011 the port controlling valve maintains theinlet valve closedagainstaehigher pressure and whereby, for any givenopening force applied to the inlet valve, the power applied thereby tothe port controlling valve to open the same progressively increases withopening movement of the valves, said means comprising an arm rigid withthe port controlling valve extending towards the inlet valve, and astrut pivoted at one end to said arm and having its other end free andseating against said inlet valve.

10. A valve for use in sprinklersystems comprising a casing having aninlet for connecting with a source of water supply under pressure and anoutlet for connecting with water distributing pipes, partition meansdividing said easing into separate chambers located between said inletand outlet, said partition means'having a port approximately alined withsaid inlet, inlet and port controlling valves pivoted to opposite sidesof the inlet and the port, respectively, for inward swinging movement toopen position, and means between said valves whereby pressure exerted onthe port controlling valve maintains the inlet valve closed against ahigher pressure and whereby, for any given opening force applied to theinlet valve, the power applied thereby to the port controlling valve toopen the same progressively increases with opening movement of thevalves, said means comprising an arm rigid with the port controllingvalve extending towards the inlet valve, and a strut pivoted at one endto said arm and having its other end free and seating against said inletvalve, the center line of the strut extending, when both valves areclosed, in divergent relationship to the axis of the port from the pointof engagement of the strut with the inlet valve towards the strut pivot,and the strut pivot being disposed between the axis of the port and astraight line passing through the pivot of the port controlling valveand the point of engagement of the strut with the inlet valve, wherebythe connection under closing pressure exerted on the port valve acts inthe nature of a toggle to hold the inlet valve closed, and whereby thepivot approaches the axis of the port during opening of the valves thusto progressively increase the power applied to the port controllingvalve by the inlet valve as the valves are opened by a predominatingopening pressure exerted against the inlet valve.

11. A valve for use in a sprinkler system comprising a casing having aninlet for connecting with a source of Water supply under pressure and anoutlet for connecting with water distributing pipes, partition meansdividing said easing into separate chambers located between said inletand said outlet, said partition means having a port, an inletcontrolling valve pivoted for invalve maintains the inlet controlling Vvalve =;,clo se d against a higher pressure, said means comprising anarmrigidwith the port controlling Valve and extending throu h the port,and a strut pivoted at :one end to said arm and at its tether :endengaging the inlet controlling valve when both valves are closed, thearm having-a recess into which the strut is swung when the valves areopened. 4

12. A valve for usein a sprinkler system comprising a casing having aninlet for connecting with assume 10: water supply nder pre sur and anoutlet for conne in with wa r di t ibutin pines, partition mean dividing:said ca ing int separate chambers v:located :betweensaid inlet andoutlet, said partition means having a port, an inlet controlling valvepivoted to one side of the inlet for inward swinging movement to openposition, a port controlling valve pivoted to one side of the port forswinging movement to an open position in the direction of the outlet andmeans whereby pressure exerted on the port controlling valve maintainsthe inlet controlling valve closed against a higher pressure, said meanscomprising an arm rigid with the port controlling valve and extendingthrough the port, and a strut pivoted at one end to said arm and at itsother end engaging the inlet controlling valve at a point to theopposite side of the axis of the inlet from the pivot of the inletcontrolling valve, the said pivoting between the arm and strut and thesaid point of engagement of the strut with the inlet controlling valvebeing both located away from the axis of the valves on the side adjacentto the pivoting of the port controllingvalve when both valves areclosed.

13. A valve as set forth in claim 2 including, the said arm and attachedstrut moving through and out of the port when the valves swing to openposition.

14. A valve as set forth in claim 12 including, the said arm andattached strut moving through and out of the port when the valves swingto open position.

15; A valve as set forth in claim 12 including, the said pivot attachingthe arm and the strut and the said point of engagement of the strut withthe inlet controlling valve being in a correlation that slight moving ofthe pivot attaching the arm and the strut produce greatchange in therequired pressure exerted on the port controlling valve to maintaintheinlet valve closed against a higher pressure.

16. In a device of the class described, a valve casing for use in asprinkler system comprising an inlet chamber communicating with a sourceof Water supply under pressure, an outlet communicating with a riserleading to water distributing pipes, an intermediate chamber between theinlet and outlet, ports between the chambers, valves for controlling thepassage of water from the inlet to the outlet, means whereby pressure inthe outlet against atmospheric pressure in the intermediate chambermaintains the valves closed against pressure from the inlet,communicating means between the outlet and the intermediate chamber andhaving therein a globe valve, the combination of a housing, a leverflexibly attached 7 to the stem of the globe valve, a latch flexiblyattached to the housing, a strut with one end pivoted to a fixed arm andthe other end free, the

said lever held in position by the latch creating an interlocking withthe free end of the strut to hold the globe valve closed, a rod flexiblyattached to the latch and actuated by a diaphragm within the housing torelease the lever and interlock holding the valve closed whereby theglobe valve will open and pressure will equalize between the outlet andthe intermediate chamber with result that the controlling valves willopen for the passage of Water as aforesaid.

17. In a device of the class described, a casing having an inlet chambercommunicating with a source of water supply under pressure, an outletchamber communicating with distributing pipes constituting a fireextinguishing system, an intermediate chamber between the inlet chamberand outlet chamber with ports and port controlling valves controllingthe passage of water under pressure from the inlet chamber through theintermediate chamberto the outlet chamber, means whereby pressure in theoutlet chamber against atmospheric pressure in the intermediate chambermaintains the port controlling valves closed against pressure in theinlet chamber, a hand hole in the intermediate chamber, a cover to closethe hand hole and means for indicating that the cover is not in positionclosing the hand hole, the said means comprising a port leading from theinlet chamber to the seat of the cover, the said port closed when thecover is in position and open when the cover is not in position wherebywater under pressure admitted to the inlet chamber will pass through thesaid port and cause discomfort to workmen if the hand hole in theintermediate 15 chamber is not closed.

J. EUGENE WALLACE. CHARLES DUMAS.

